Published: Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 12:12 a.m.

For 30 years, the Tuscaloosa native worked at Bryce Hospital, becoming its first black CEO in 2000. From 1976 to 2003, he was in the Army National Guard and retired at the rank of major.

He was the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Alabama from 2004 to 2006. Also in 2006, he ran for Tuscaloosa County probate judge against longtime incumbent Hardy McCollum. He lost to McCollum in a runoff 5,124 votes to 4,511.

Today, Gay wears a new hat. In May, he was selected as the new pastor of Beulah Baptist Church when the Rev. W. J. Long retired after 21 years of service.

To celebrate his appointment and to honor the church that he was raised in since he was a child, Gay and his wife, Flora, are buying the entire 500-member congregation Thanksgiving dinner this Sunday with all of the trimmings. The invitation to worship and eat is open to the public as well, he said.

Gay said Thanksgiving is a time to fellowship with family, give back, share and be thankful for the Lord’s blessings. So he felt that Thanksgiving was the perfect time to express his gratitude.

“People don’t want to know how much you know,” Gay said. “They want to know how much you care. Being a pastor is about giving and taking care of the congregation.

“We — Christians — are the only hands and feet that the Lord has, and He expects us to be servants of the people.”

Newly elected District 7 Tuscaloosa City Council member Sonya McKinstry has been a member of Beulah Baptist for the past 35 years. She said Gay’s generosity and his leadership during the past six months have amazed her.

“I think that this is just so awesome,” McKinstry said. “He did this because he wanted to show his gratitude and offer his thanks for how well the church has received him and to have a church family that respects him. He wanted to give his thanks at Thanksgiving. What better time.

“We’re so blessed to have Pastor Gay as our leader now. The church is just filling, and we’ve been so blessed in the body under his leadership. We’ve come through a lot of obstacles. We’ve had very good leadership, but under Pastor Gay’s leadership our church has just been filled with new growth and opportunities. The congregation has been able to experience things that they have not been able to experience.”

McKinstry said in the past six months the church has added new programs for youths and seniors, fed the needy, taken people to the doctor and much more.

She said the church’s Bible study attendance records have been shattered with more than 100 people attending, and membership is continuously increasing.

“Every third Sunday he feeds everyone who attended Bible study,” she said. “He just really gives back to the church to show his appreciation. A lot of pastors don’t do that. You can consider him a leader, a pastor and most of all a friend.

“We just have a whole ’nother atmosphere. You don’t find a pastor that has his kind of dedication for his members. He walks what he talks and that’s important.”

Beulah Baptist is located at 3100 25th St. in Tuscaloosa. Sunday worship service are held at 8 and 10:45 a.m. The Thanksgiving dinner Gay and his wife are hosting will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday.

<p>David Gay has worn a lot of hats in his lifetime.</p><p>For 30 years, the Tuscaloosa native worked at Bryce Hospital, becoming its first black CEO in 2000. From 1976 to 2003, he was in the Army National Guard and retired at the rank of major.</p><p>He was the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Alabama from 2004 to 2006. Also in 2006, he ran for Tuscaloosa County probate judge against longtime incumbent Hardy McCollum. He lost to McCollum in a runoff 5,124 votes to 4,511.</p><p>Today, Gay wears a new hat. In May, he was selected as the new pastor of Beulah Baptist Church when the Rev. W. J. Long retired after 21 years of service.</p><p>To celebrate his appointment and to honor the church that he was raised in since he was a child, Gay and his wife, Flora, are buying the entire 500-member congregation Thanksgiving dinner this Sunday with all of the trimmings. The invitation to worship and eat is open to the public as well, he said.</p><p>“I want to give back,” Gay said. “The Lord has tremendously blessed my whole career and I want to give back.”</p><p>Gay said Thanksgiving is a time to fellowship with family, give back, share and be thankful for the Lord's blessings. So he felt that Thanksgiving was the perfect time to express his gratitude.</p><p>“People don't want to know how much you know,” Gay said. “They want to know how much you care. Being a pastor is about giving and taking care of the congregation.</p><p>“We — Christians — are the only hands and feet that the Lord has, and He expects us to be servants of the people.”</p><p>Newly elected District 7 Tuscaloosa City Council member Sonya McKinstry has been a member of Beulah Baptist for the past 35 years. She said Gay's generosity and his leadership during the past six months have amazed her.</p><p>“I think that this is just so awesome,” McKinstry said. “He did this because he wanted to show his gratitude and offer his thanks for how well the church has received him and to have a church family that respects him. He wanted to give his thanks at Thanksgiving. What better time.</p><p>“We're so blessed to have Pastor Gay as our leader now. The church is just filling, and we've been so blessed in the body under his leadership. We've come through a lot of obstacles. We've had very good leadership, but under Pastor Gay's leadership our church has just been filled with new growth and opportunities. The congregation has been able to experience things that they have not been able to experience.”</p><p>McKinstry said in the past six months the church has added new programs for youths and seniors, fed the needy, taken people to the doctor and much more.</p><p>She said the church's Bible study attendance records have been shattered with more than 100 people attending, and membership is continuously increasing.</p><p>“Every third Sunday he feeds everyone who attended Bible study,” she said. “He just really gives back to the church to show his appreciation. A lot of pastors don't do that. You can consider him a leader, a pastor and most of all a friend.</p><p>“We just have a whole 'nother atmosphere. You don't find a pastor that has his kind of dedication for his members. He walks what he talks and that's important.”</p><p>Beulah Baptist is located at 3100 25th St. in Tuscaloosa. Sunday worship service are held at 8 and 10:45 a.m. The Thanksgiving dinner Gay and his wife are hosting will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday.</p><p>Reach Jamon Smith at jamon.smith@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.</p>